Cotton Export Ban: PM’S meeting with Pawar is too late to Control Damage

Cotton Export  Ban: PM’S  meeting with  Pawar is too late to Control Damage

Nagpur –April 29 , 2012

Cotton farmers advocacy group Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti VJAS  has termed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh initiative call the meeting on ill intended stringent restrictions on cotton export with Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar  on Monday to deliberate on the objections raised by over export of cotton as too alte to compensate the huge damages of nearly 7 million cotton growers who are facing severe crop failure as per Govt. cotton arrival data and expected yield this year

“The Prime Minister was aware of the problem when Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma has imposed the ban on cotton export on 4^th march 2012 and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar  termed this cotton export ban as anti farmer and strongly criticised the e Textile Ministry under the charge of Anand Sharma for the policies which are "ambivalent" describing restriction on cotton exports as "retrograde” adding that  Indian cotton farmers should not be asked to bear the burden of subsidising the textile mills but PMO failed to take action last 55 days and this "Negative Approach" of the taxtile and commerce ministry  has already caused more tha Rs.10,000 crore losses to cotton growers and traders hence we demand while lifting the ban on cotton export PM should announce compensation of these losses to the stake holders ”Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti VJAS informed in a press release today.

"Indian trade and textile minister Anand Sharma has been acting  as agent of Indian textile mills owners and supporting his stand of imposing ban on fresh cotton which is directly affecting million cotton farmers who are facing crop failure in more than 12 million hector and is damaging cotton traders exporters creditability in global market ,This is bias and political motivated decision with motive to protect the interest of handful spinning and weaving mills and garments traders hence farmers protest and hunger strike has been organized "Kishore Tiwari added. “when Indian domestic demand is just 20 million bales as against national production of 33 million bales there is no reason put restrictions when interest of domestic textile mills are fully protected .the decision to ban Indian cotton export is another example rampant corruption going on in UPA Govt. there is big names involved in the sudden export ban will expose the all misdeeds of commerce ministry hence for the first time farmers suicide issue has given focus of wrong policies of state ,we will see that the truth is prevailed” Tiwari added.

Cotton farmers main demand is that DGFT should start fresh registrations of export as India is the world’s second-largest producer and output is expected to hit a record high of 34 million bales in 2011/12 hence our PM who is man free trade and globalization should intervene to protect the interest of cotton farmers and stop protecting few corporates which are forcing traders to off load their cotton bales stock holding in cheaper rate which unfair and unjust "Tiwari said today

Earlier Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti VJAS in its plea to the Prime Minister of India has requested that India even when it was a net cotton deficit country has allowed cotton exports under Open General License (OGL), it is ironical that when India is currently a cotton surplus country, restrictive policies are in place. Currently, DGFT has put cotton export on hold which has lost creditability of Indian cotton trade in international market has severely impacted cotton economy of agrarian crisis hit Maharashtra where Govt. has already declared relief package of Rs.2000 crore hence Prime Minister of India should look in to very serious issue of 5 million dying cotton farmers of vidarbha, Tiwari added.

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VJAS to Join Black-Day call of Separatist on 1st May for Vidarbha Statehood

VJAS to Join Black-Day call of Separatist on 1^st May for Vidarbha Statehood

Nagpur-27 April 2012

Thousands of dying cotton farmer and malnourish tribal are joining the Black day call given by veteran separatist leader J.B.Dhote on 1^st May which is celebrated in Maharashtra as it’s formation day “Maharashtra Divis”  in order to review long pending demand of separate statehood for vidarbha  as Govt. is neglecting the basic demands of cotton farmers who are killing themselves due to wrong policies  promoted congress leadership dominated western Maharashtra , informed farm activist Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti VJAS.

“Maharashtra leadership dominated western Maharashtra NCP party has been diverting fund for developments since vidarbha region has been merged with Maharashtra but noe they have started diverting food and kerosene quota allotted to the region .this month alone NCP leader Ajit Pawar has diverted 15 thousand kiloliter  kerosene quota of  Vidarbha to Poona district same is the case for food available under PDS has been directed to the districts of  western Maharashtra which highly objectionable and unjustified.  Now Govt. is dying food and kerosene that is last assault on slavery of must backward vidarbha region and separate statehood is only option left hence all parties and activist group will join 1 May agitation and will restart the movement to get freedom from clutches neocolonial powers  of Maharashtra leadership” Tiwari added.   

In last 52 years imbalance of progress and regional backlog resulting mass genocide of vidarbha dry land farmers and all relief packages failed solve the burning issues of vidarbha hence statehood is the last solution  so that vidarbha can be given justice in fund allocation and dying Farmers and tribal lives can be saved ,tiwari said.

“Since June 2005 vidarbha farmers and farm widows have been subjected for the trial on committees over committees and it started with visit national farmers commission headed by Dr.Swaminathan flowed special expert team of planning commission in 2006 and then mega visit of Indian Prime Minister Dr.Man Mohansingh and relief package of Rs.3750/- crore but relief never reached to dying farmers and farm widows then visit of Indian Prez. and another expert committee of planning commission member Dr. Narendra Jadhav who submitted detail report of vidarbha agrarian crisis in 2007 and suggested hundreds of remedies and relief plans which are gathering dust in Mantralaya then 2008 mega loan waiver and visit of Indian prince Rahul Gandhi to Yavatmal after failure loan waiver and in-between CAG and PAC submitted detail report Massive corruption in all relief packages and all involved in corruption are as safe as Maharashtra insensitive Govt. to this very serious issue of innocent victimization of cotton farmers’ who are forced to kill themselves due wrong policies of state and step motherly treatment to vidarbha region hence we have lost all hope in existing Govt. hence we demand e separate vidarbha statehood so that people can decide their own density ”Tiwari added.

NRI plans to set up Industrial Training Institute for farmers' children-TIMES OF INDIA

Printed from

NRI plans to set up Industrial Training Institute for farmers' children

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/NRI-plans-to-set-up-Industrial-Training-Institute-for-farmers-children/articleshow/12844257.cms?prtpage=1

YAVATMAL: An Oman-based industrialist Krishna Kumar Taori is planning to set up and industrial training institute for farmers' children at Ghuikhed village in Yavatmal district. The institute will be fully sponsored by industries and will provide skilled technical education to the farmers' kids so that they become employment-worthy.
"The institute will come up in Ghuikhed later this year. I hope all technical formalities are completed in time and proper help from administration is made available," Krishna Kumar said.
Taori disclosed this while distributing cash, blanket and saris to 200 needy widows who had lost their husband due to agrarian crisis, in a function held at Agrasen Bhavan, Pandharkawda.
Taori is the CEO of an Oman-based construction company. His father Dr Bradriprasadji is a cotton farmer from Ghuikhed village. He completed BE from Government Engineering College, Amravati, and obtained a master's degree in public health engineering from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur.
Job opportunity took him to Oman but he always kept himself updated about the farming issues in Vidarbha. He was deeply moved by the plight of Vidarbha farmers. He helped some farmer families by paying for the education of their children. He had also extended financial assistance for the marriage of the daughters of the widows. For last five years he is working for Eklavya Vidyalaya of Vanvasi Kalyanasharam for a project aimed at giving free education to tribal kids in Melghat.
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सहाही महामंडळांचे कर्ज माफ करा-महामंडळांची कर्जमाफी फसवी--लोकशाही वार्ता

सहाही महामंडळांचे कर्ज माफ करा-महामंडळांची कर्जमाफी फसवी--लोकशाही वार्ता

सहाही महामंडळांची कर्जमाफी फसवी!

सामाजिक न्याय व विशेष सहाय्य विभागाच्या नियंत्रणाखालील महात्मा फुले मागासवर्ग विकास महामंडळ, लोकशाही अण्णाभाऊ साठे विकास महामंडळ, संत रोहिदास चर्मोद्योग व चर्मकार विकास महामंडळ, वसंतराव नाईक विमुक्त जाती भटक्या जमाती विकास महामंडळ, महाराष्ट्र इतर मागासवर्ग वित्त व विकास महामंडळ व महाराष्ट्र अपंग वित्त व विकास महामंडळ या सहा महामंडळाचे कर्ज माफ करण्याचे आदेश १ जुलै २0१0 रोजी काढले. त्यासाठी निधीही उपलब्ध करून देण्यात आला. परंतु प्रत्यक्षात महामंडळांनी मात्र आपले कर्ज व त्यावरील व्याज माफ केले, मात्र बँकांनी दिलेले कर्ज व त्यावरील व्याज अद्यापही माफ न केल्याने राज्यभरातील हजारो लाभार्थी या कर्जमाफीच्या योजनेपासून वंचित राहिले आहेत.

धरणे आंदोलनात मार्गदर्शन करताना किशोर तिवारी

लोकशाही वार्ता/१७एप्रिल
यवतमाळ : राज्यातील सहा महामंडळांची ३१ मार्च २0१२ पर्यंतची सर्व कर्जमाफी शासनाने तत्काळ जाहीर करावी, अन्यथा उच्च न्यायालयात रीट याचिका दाखल करू, असा इशारा विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे नेते किशोर तिवारी यांनी सरकारला दिला आहे. स्थानिक उद्योग भवनातीला शबरी महामंडळाच्या कार्यालयासमोर आयोजित धरणे आंदोलनात ते बोलत होते.
निवेदन देताना किशोर तिवारी व शबरी महामहामंडळाचे कर्जदार.
आघाडी सरकारने आदिवासी, दलित, अल्पसंख्याक व विमुक्त समाजाची गठ्ठा मते मिळविण्यासाठी २00९ च्या विधानसभा निवडणुकीपूर्वी राज्यातील सहा महामंडळांची सर्व थकीत कर्ज व त्यावरील व्याज आणि राष्ट्रीय बँकांचे कर्ज व त्यावरील व्याज माफ केले होते. मात्र ३ वर्षानंतरही थकीत कर्ज तसेच आहे. उलट सरकारने केलेली कर्जमाफी ही विशिष्ट हप्त्याची होती, असा आदेश काढून कर्जवसुली सुरू केली आहे.
हा प्रकार अन्यायकारक असून आता आदिवासी, दलीत, बहुजन समाज, विमुक्त जाती व अल्पसंख्यांक यांच्यासाठी निर्माण करण्यात आलेल्या सर्व आर्थिक महामंडळाची ३१ मार्चपर्यंत सरसकट कर्जमाफी करण्यात यावी, या मागणीसाठी विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीच्यावतीने आज एक दिवसाचे लाक्षणिक धरणे देण्यात आले. या आंदोलनाचे नेतृत्व शेतकरी नेते किशोर तिवारी यांनी केले. याप्रसंगी मोहन जाधव, अंकित नैतमा, सुरेश बोलेनवार, नितीन कांबळे, आदिवासी नेते तुकाराम मेर्शाम, भीमराव नैताम, सुनील राऊत, प्रकाश मेर्शाम, वासुदेव मेर्शाम, वासुदेव मुकरे, विजय सलाम, सचिन मेर्शाम यांच्यासह शबरी महामंडळाच्या कर्ज पिडित समितीचे नेते उपस्थित होते. महाराष्ट्र सरकारने १ ऑगस्ट २0११ ला शबरी आदिवासी वित्त विकास महामंडळामार्फत स्वयंरोजगारासाठी आदिवासींना १५ जानेवारी १९९९ ते ३१ मार्च २00८ अखेरचे थकीत कर्ज व त्यावरील व्याज माफ करण्याची घोषणा केल्याचे आदेश काढले आहेत. मात्र नंतर सरकारने या कर्जमाफीला अटी टाकून ९0 टक्के कर्जदारांना कर्जमाफीपासून वंचित ठेवले आहे. यातच शबरी महामंडळाच्या व्यवस्थापकीय संचालकांनी सक्तीची कर्ज वसुली करण्याचे आदेश सर्व प्रादेशिक व्यवस्थापकांना दिले असून त्यांनी जप्तची कारवाई सुद्धा सुरू केली आहे.
सरकारने निवडणुकीच्या तोंडावर आदिवासींच्या कर्जमाफीची घोषणा करून त्यांची मते मिळवून घेतली. मात्र ३१ मार्च २00८पर्यंतचे हप्तेच माफ झाल्याचे पत्र २0११ मध्ये काढून व्याजासह वसुली करणे अन्यायकारक असून आदिवासी बांधवांवर असलेले शबरी महामंडळाचे संपूर्ण कर्ज विनाअट माफ करावे या मागणीकरिता आज शबरी महामंडळाच्या कार्यालयासमोर थकित कर्जदारांचे धरणे आंदोलन आयोजित करण्यात आले होते. ३0 जुलै २00९ रोजी विधानसभा निवडणुकीवर डोळा ठेवून तत्कालीन मुख्यमंत्री अशोक चव्हाण यांनी मंत्रिमंडळाच्या बैठकीत शबरी महामंडळाचे सर्व कर्ज माफ करण्याचा निर्णय घेतला होता. त्यानुसार सर्वच वर्तमानपत्रांमध्ये बातम्या सुद्धा प्रसिद्ध झाल्या आहेत. त्यामुळे प्रकाश मेर्शाम, वासुदेव कुमरे, सोनाली खडके, वंदना मंदिकार, बाबाराव राठोड, महादेव मेर्शाम यांनी आपले कर्जमाफ झाले. म्हणून पुढील हप्ते बंद केले. मात्र अचानकपणे मागील महिन्यात त्यांनी जप्तीची नोटिसेस येऊ लागल्या. अधिकारी त्यांच्या दारावर येऊ लागले. मागील ३ वर्षाचे थकीत व्याज जोडून जप्तची कारवाई सुरू केली आहे. त्यामुळे शेकडो आदिवासी युवक व शेतकरी आत्महत्या करण्याच्या वाटेवर आहेत. एकीककडे आदिवासींच्या नावावर सरकार २00 कोटी रुपये अनुदान म्हणून प्रत्येक वर्षी वाटत आहे. मात्र, शबरी महामंडळाचे २ कोटी प्रलंबीत कर्जमाफ करण्यास सरकारी अधिकारी तयार नाही.
हा सर्व प्रकार आदिवासी विरोधी नाकर्ते सरकारचा असून जिल्ह्यातील आदिवासींचे आमदार व मंत्रिपदाचे सुख भोगणार्या ना. शिवाजीराव मोघे व प्रा.वसंतराव पुरके यांना हा प्रकार का दिसत नाही, असा सवालही यावेळी किशोर तिवारी यांनी उपस्थित केला आहे. ३0एप्रिलपर्यंत सरकारने आदिवासी जनतेवरील शबरी महामंडळामार्फत देण्यात आलेले ३१ मार्च २0१२ पर्यंतचे कर्ज माफ केले नाही, तर १ मे पासून बेमुदत उपोषण सुरू करू असा इशारा विवेक कुमरे, राधाकृष्ण टेकाम, सुभाष मेर्शाम, विलास कोरांगे, निळकंठ कुळसंगे, प्रमोद सिडाम, प्रकाश घोडपडे, मारोती पारधी, शैलेश सिडाम, श्याम सिडाम, दिवाकर कोरांगे यांनी दिला आहे.

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Denied relief, 3 Vidarbha farmers commit suicide-DNA Reports.

Denied relief, 3 Vidarbha farmers commit suicide

One suicide note asks people not to vote for the NCP-Congress as ‘they will ruin people’

DNA Correspondent

The non-receipt of declared relief for crop loss and the sudden crash in cotton prices due to stringent restriction on cotton export is beginning to pinch. Three farmers, including a woman, committed suicide on Friday. While one of the deceased, Gajanan Thorat, is from Mahsal village in Karanja tehsil of Washim district, the other two — Kamalabai Chavan and Gajanan Ghotekar — are from Kelapur tehsil in Yavatmal. In the suicide note, Ghotekar has said: “My debt has made it difficult for me to marry off my daughter. Please take care of my family after me.” His plea to people “not to vote for the NCP-Congress ever since they will wipe out the farmers and destroy the nation,” is bound to create ripples in the ruling combine at a time when the assembly is in session. This cotton farmer, who committed suicide in the early hours of Friday, was struggling to cope with instalments for a loan he had taken last season to buy a tractor. Police have now taken possession of the suicide note and are questioning Ghotekar’s family members. Kishore Tiwari of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS) told DNA, “The state government went out of its way to publicise its relief aid to cotton farmers of Vidarbha in December 2011. Though the state tom-tomed a figure of Rs2,000 crore, till today not a single paisa has been paid to distressed farmers.” According to Tiwari, the sudden move by the Centre on March 4 to impose a blanket ban on cotton export and the imposition of stringent conditions for cotton export has come as the proverbial last straw. “This has severely affected raw cotton rates. From Rs4,200 per quintal it has fallen to Rs3,400 a quintal. Unless this is addressed it will lead to another spiral in farmer suicides in the belt.” Seven million cotton farmers, who cultivate cotton in 12 million hectares across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab are grappling with the worst agrarian crisis with rising costs of the production and poor support price. Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar has already demanded removal of all barriers on export in agricultural products in a move which has found support from Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan, Gujarat CM Narendra Modi and Andhra Pradesh CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy. Despite this, the commerce ministry has refused to budge, lament sources. “All earlier GOM meeting have been hijacked and babus from the commerce ministry and cotton advisory board have been giving fabricated data of national cotton consumption and production to justify restrictions imposed on cotton export. How can the government ignore the plight of 10 million farmers and their families to protect the interests of a few?” alleged Tiwari.

Vidarbha Cotton crisis worsen–Three farmer’s suicides Reported in Day

Vidarbha Cotton crisis worsen–Three farmer’s suicides Reported in Day

Vidarbha Cotton crisis worsen–Three farmer’s suicides Reported in Day   

Nagpur-April 20, 2012

The non-receipt of declared  relief aid to vidarbha cotton even after lapse of four month and sudden crash in cotton prices due on going stringent restriction on cotton export ,three more vidarbha farmers suicides reported today  include one woman farmer ,they are identified as

1.Gajanan Thorat  of Village Garm Mahsal a in Karanja taluka of Washim  

2.Kamalabai chavan  of Village Wadner in Kelapur of Yavatmal

3.Gajanan Ghotekar  of Village Kothoda in Kelapur  of  Yavatmal, 

informed farm activist Kishore Tiwari   of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti VJAS,

 

Maharashtra Govt. declared relief aid to cotton farmers of vidarbha in last December 2011 to the tune Rs.2000 crore but till today not single paisa has been  paid to distressed farmers more over suddenly union Govt. Of India on 4^th March   impose the blanket ban on cotton export then imposing srigent conditions of cotton export has severely affected the raw  cotton rates  was traded above @Rs.4200/- quintal but after the  export ban brought down @Rs.3400 quintal ,this is reason  to give trigger to restarting farm suicide spiral in vidarbha, Tiwari added.

“Don’t vote CONGRESS-NCP, they will destroy

 Nation-Dying Farmers Suicide Note

“I can not do the marriage of my daughter and please save my family .please do not vote Congress –NCP ,these parties will destroy nation” this is last request made by Gajanan Ghotekar ,cotton farmer of  village kothoda in kelapur taluka of yavatmal district who committed suicide on 19^th April night to mounting debt of bank taken for the tractor and non-payment of installments ,police has recovered this suicide note from Ghotekar’s  family members  and verifying it’s  hand writing but in last five years lot of suicides notes of cotton farmers who committed suicides alleging state driven wrong policies are recovered but administration failed to take corrective action ” Tiwari added.

In India 7 million cotton farmers families cultivating cotton in 12 million hectors from states of  Maharashtra ,Gujrat,AP,MP,Rajthan and Punjab who are in debt trap due to cotton crop failure this year and   Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has been demanding UPA Govt. to remove all barriers of export in Agri. Products  which is being supported by   Maharashtra Chief Minister Prathiraj Chvan ,Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy but corrupt cartel of commerce ministry has managed to continue the anti-farmer policies which is being reflected in farmers suicides of vidarbha ,our all protest and requisitions are shown dustbin ,this is mouch more humiliating  ”Tiwari informed.

“All earlier GOM meeting have been high-jacked and Babus involved commerce Ministry and Cotton Advisory Board CAB has been giving fabricated data of national cotton consumption and production  to justify the restrictions imposed for cotton export which are not in line with ground reality .We are till confused to understand the justification to protect finger counting people by pushing more than 10 million agrarian in deep economical crisis ” Tiwari added.

“when Indian domestic demand is just 20 million bales as against national production of 33 million bales there is no reason put restrictions when interest of domestic textile mills are fully protected .the decision to ban Indian cotton export is another example rampant corruption going on in UPA Govt. there is big names involved in the sudden export ban will expose the all misdeeds of commerce ministry hence for the first time farmers suicide issue has given focus of wrong policies of state ,we will see that the truth is prevailed”  Tiwari added.

Vidarbha Saga-Telling suppressed stories-HINDU

Published: April 18, 2012 18:18 IST

Vidarbha Saga-Telling suppressed stories

SRAVASTI DATTA

Nandan Saxena and Kavita Bahl

Nandan Saxena and Kavita Bahl's Cotton For My Shroud is an honest and heart-wrenching account of the hapless condition of Vidarbha's farmers

The husband-wife duo Nandan Saxena and Kavita Bahl, armed with a camera and “an iron soul”, set forth to Vidarbha to film the stories of farmer families who had lost their sons, brothers and husbands to suicides due to mounting debts, to render visible the issues of the marginalised small farmer and bring back into focus the forgotten stories of Vidarbha's farmer suicides. Their film “Cotton for my shroud” was screened last week at Suchitra Film Society. “Since 1995, a quarter of a million Indian farmers have committed suicide, most of whom were cotton farmers from Vidarbha in Maharashtra,” inform the filmmakers.

The couple began filming “Cotton For My Shroud” in 2006 when Vidarbha had recorded the highest number of suicides. They were supported in their endeavour by Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, an NGO actively involved in advocacy on farmers' issues.

The suicide of a farmer wasn't just another statistic for them, but a precious life lost due to faulty government paradigms. It took them almost five-and-a-half years to put the film together. “It was difficult to bury the ghosts and sweep the film under the carpet, as if nothing had ever goaded us to visit Vidarbha. We owed a lot to the people who had opened their hearts and hearths to two outsiders in their moment of grief. We could not betray their trust. As we previewed and digitised the footage, we re-lived the horror that had unfolded before our eyes in 2006,” write the former journalists in an email interview.

In “Cotton…”, the line “If one farmer kills himself, we can call it a suicide. But when a quarter of a million kill themselves, how can the government call it suicide? It is genocide,” reveals that justice delayed is no less a crime. “Torn between aggressive marketing of supposedly ‘better varieties' of transgenic crops by the State and his traditional wisdom of low-cost and eco-friendly agriculture, the farmer is forced to buy BT cotton, which results in an unending cycle of debt.”

The couple hold the government, multinational corporations and even certain sections of the media responsible for the condition of the cotton farmers in Vidarbha. “The farmers felt betrayed by the government extension agencies that are supposed to guide the farmers, they feel violated by the multinational corporations that are poisoning their land with chemicals, and genetically modified cotton seeds that do not live up to the tall claims made by Monsanto. They have lost respect for the media too for they feel that most of the media has been bought over by powerful politicians and multinationals.”

“Cotton…” won the Rajat Kamal for the Best Investigative Film at the 59th National Film Awards. But the government-funded Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF), the couple inform, chose not to show it. They had even organised a special screening for parliamentarians at the Constitution Club, for which they had invited the parliamentary standing committees on agriculture and rural development.

“Only Basudev Acharya had attended the screening; the other MPs were too busy to watch it.” Nandan and Kavita faced many daunting challenges while filming “Cotton…”. “The shopkeepers and agents of Monsanto-Mahyco were hostile but could not do much to stop us. The police and the Guardian Minister of Yavatmaal district did their best to stop us from going to film the funeral of Dinesh Gugul at Village Mendoli. He was killed when the police opened fire at the farmers at the Cotton Mandi at Wani, on 6 December 2006. We argued with the police officers, but the seasoned, shrewd police-wallahs sent us to the Mandi where an angry mob of farmers charged at us and almost smashed our camera. We were asked to meet the Guardian Minister at the Circuit House. As soon as we entered the Circuit House, a curfew was clamped at Wani. We finally reached Mendoli, defying the curfew.”

The couple has contacted schools and colleges to screen the film and attempts are being made at translating “Cotton…” into other regional languages. “We are trying to raise some contributions for making the Marathi and Hindi versions of the film to take it to the villages where we filmed. There is a demand for Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odiya versions as well.”

Keywords: Cotton For My Shroud, Vidarbha farmers suicide